Walter's obituary: "Walter LeRoy Kurtz, the oldest son of C. G. and Mrs. Hannah Kurtz, was born in Marshall county, Iowa, March 1, 1887, and died Monday, March 31, 1902, being 15 years, 1 month old.
For about a year he suffered with that dread disease, diabetes. He was not confined to the house until the last six weeks of his sickness. He suffered more or less all the time and especially so during the last few weeks. The end came without a struggle and he apparently suffered no pain.
He was an honest and industrious boy and always held for the right. He was of a kind and generous disposition and loved by friends and school mates for his sterling qualities. He was an unusually bright boy and gave promise of a brilliant and honest career had he been spared. He leaves a loving father and mother, four sisters, two brothers and a large circle of friends to mourn his death. His last words were "I want to see Mother."
The circumstances of his death are peculiarly sad, owing to the sickness of his parents, both of whom were unable to see him on the day of the funeral.* The sympathies of all are extended to the stricken family.
Funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by Rev. A. G. Baily, pastor of the Presbyterian church,** attended by a large concourse of friends. Interment in Conrad cemetery.
The family gives their sincere thanks to the kind friends who assisted during the sickness and death of their beloved son and brother."
*Walter's father Christian Gingrich Kurtz was bedfast with pneumonia; and Walter's mother Hannah Jane was bedfast following the difficult birth of her seventh and last child, Clell Puterbaugh Kurtz, on 28 March 1902. So left to escort their brother's casket to the cemetery a few miles north of their farm home were his other siblings: Winnie, 18; Mary, 16; Fay, 13; Verna, 11; and Glenn, 9.
**Hannah Jane (Puterbaugh) Kurtz was a member of the Presbyterian church at Conrad, Iowa, as were the Coulters. Church events were major social activities in rural communities a century ago. I suspect attending the same church---and earlier the same one-room country schoolhouse, in this case, the Bash school near the Kurtz and Coulter farms---helped sisters Fay and Verna Kurtz become better acquainted with brothers Arch and Fred Coulter, leading to two marriages between the families, in 1908 and 1910.
For about a year he suffered with that dread disease, diabetes. He was not confined to the house until the last six weeks of his sickness. He suffered more or less all the time and especially so during the last few weeks. The end came without a struggle and he apparently suffered no pain.
He was an honest and industrious boy and always held for the right. He was of a kind and generous disposition and loved by friends and school mates for his sterling qualities. He was an unusually bright boy and gave promise of a brilliant and honest career had he been spared. He leaves a loving father and mother, four sisters, two brothers and a large circle of friends to mourn his death. His last words were "I want to see Mother."
The circumstances of his death are peculiarly sad, owing to the sickness of his parents, both of whom were unable to see him on the day of the funeral.* The sympathies of all are extended to the stricken family.
Funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by Rev. A. G. Baily, pastor of the Presbyterian church,** attended by a large concourse of friends. Interment in Conrad cemetery.
The family gives their sincere thanks to the kind friends who assisted during the sickness and death of their beloved son and brother."
*Walter's father Christian Gingrich Kurtz was bedfast with pneumonia; and Walter's mother Hannah Jane was bedfast following the difficult birth of her seventh and last child, Clell Puterbaugh Kurtz, on 28 March 1902. So left to escort their brother's casket to the cemetery a few miles north of their farm home were his other siblings: Winnie, 18; Mary, 16; Fay, 13; Verna, 11; and Glenn, 9.
**Hannah Jane (Puterbaugh) Kurtz was a member of the Presbyterian church at Conrad, Iowa, as were the Coulters. Church events were major social activities in rural communities a century ago. I suspect attending the same church---and earlier the same one-room country schoolhouse, in this case, the Bash school near the Kurtz and Coulter farms---helped sisters Fay and Verna Kurtz become better acquainted with brothers Arch and Fred Coulter, leading to two marriages between the families, in 1908 and 1910.
Walter's obituary: "Walter LeRoy Kurtz, the oldest son of C. G. and Mrs. Hannah Kurtz, was born in Marshall county, Iowa, March 1, 1887, and died Monday, March 31, 1902, being 15 years, 1 month old.
For about a year he suffered with that dread disease, diabetes. He was not confined to the house until the last six weeks of his sickness. He suffered more or less all the time and especially so during the last few weeks. The end came without a struggle and he apparently suffered no pain.
He was an honest and industrious boy and always held for the right. He was of a kind and generous disposition and loved by friends and school mates for his sterling qualities. He was an unusually bright boy and gave promise of a brilliant and honest career had he been spared. He leaves a loving father and mother, four sisters, two brothers and a large circle of friends to mourn his death. His last words were "I want to see Mother."
The circumstances of his death are peculiarly sad, owing to the sickness of his parents, both of whom were unable to see him on the day of the funeral.* The sympathies of all are extended to the stricken family.
Funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by Rev. A. G. Baily, pastor of the Presbyterian church,** attended by a large concourse of friends. Interment in Conrad cemetery.
The family gives their sincere thanks to the kind friends who assisted during the sickness and death of their beloved son and brother."
*Walter's father Christian Gingrich Kurtz was bedfast with pneumonia; and Walter's mother Hannah Jane was bedfast following the difficult birth of her seventh and last child, Clell Puterbaugh Kurtz, on 28 March 1902. So left to escort their brother's casket to the cemetery a few miles north of their farm home were his other siblings: Winnie, 18; Mary, 16; Fay, 13; Verna, 11; and Glenn, 9.
**Hannah Jane (Puterbaugh) Kurtz was a member of the Presbyterian church at Conrad, Iowa, as were the Coulters. Church events were major social activities in rural communities a century ago. I suspect attending the same church---and earlier the same one-room country schoolhouse, in this case, the Bash school near the Kurtz and Coulter farms---helped sisters Fay and Verna Kurtz become better acquainted with brothers Arch and Fred Coulter, leading to two marriages between the families, in 1908 and 1910.
For about a year he suffered with that dread disease, diabetes. He was not confined to the house until the last six weeks of his sickness. He suffered more or less all the time and especially so during the last few weeks. The end came without a struggle and he apparently suffered no pain.
He was an honest and industrious boy and always held for the right. He was of a kind and generous disposition and loved by friends and school mates for his sterling qualities. He was an unusually bright boy and gave promise of a brilliant and honest career had he been spared. He leaves a loving father and mother, four sisters, two brothers and a large circle of friends to mourn his death. His last words were "I want to see Mother."
The circumstances of his death are peculiarly sad, owing to the sickness of his parents, both of whom were unable to see him on the day of the funeral.* The sympathies of all are extended to the stricken family.
Funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by Rev. A. G. Baily, pastor of the Presbyterian church,** attended by a large concourse of friends. Interment in Conrad cemetery.
The family gives their sincere thanks to the kind friends who assisted during the sickness and death of their beloved son and brother."
*Walter's father Christian Gingrich Kurtz was bedfast with pneumonia; and Walter's mother Hannah Jane was bedfast following the difficult birth of her seventh and last child, Clell Puterbaugh Kurtz, on 28 March 1902. So left to escort their brother's casket to the cemetery a few miles north of their farm home were his other siblings: Winnie, 18; Mary, 16; Fay, 13; Verna, 11; and Glenn, 9.
**Hannah Jane (Puterbaugh) Kurtz was a member of the Presbyterian church at Conrad, Iowa, as were the Coulters. Church events were major social activities in rural communities a century ago. I suspect attending the same church---and earlier the same one-room country schoolhouse, in this case, the Bash school near the Kurtz and Coulter farms---helped sisters Fay and Verna Kurtz become better acquainted with brothers Arch and Fred Coulter, leading to two marriages between the families, in 1908 and 1910.
